Floods hit five Arizona fish hatcheries; stockings still on track

Heavy rain and flooding over the Oct. 31–Nov. 1 weekend damaged Arizona Game and Fish Department hatcheries across the state. Tonto Creek Hatchery northeast of Payson took the worst hit. Floodwater slammed into the feed room and bunkhouse, washed out surrounding roads, and exposed a spring line. USGS gauges on Tonto Creek near Roosevelt Lake showed water rising from about 4 feet late Saturday night to 16 feet Sunday afternoon after more than 2 inches of rain.

Wayne Jones, AZGFD's statewide hatchery program administrator, said every hatchery was affected in some way. Canyon Creek and Silver Creek hatcheries were closed to the public while floodwater lingered or access stayed blocked. Bubbling Ponds Hatchery saw Oak Creek water inundate the bass house, and Sterling Springs Hatchery lost power. Staff were on site around the clock; Jones said no workers were injured.

The department said raceways holding thousands of fish remained intact and that stockings were not interrupted. Arizona's six hatcheries produce about 400,000 pounds of fish a year — roughly 3 million fish — for 118 waters statewide. Officials were already planning hatchery renovations and said they are looking at adding flood prevention to those plans.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Arizona Game and Fish Department — Flooding damages state fish hatcheries (Nov. 2, 2026). Also: Arizona's Family (Nov. 4, 2026).

Photo: AZGFD.